DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE STORMS HOME IN CAPE GUINEAS

DOUBLE SUPERLATIVE STORMS HOME IN CAPE GUINEAS

Double Superlative wins the Gr1 Cape Guineas. Image: Candiese Lenferna

Justin Snaith won the Grade 1 Cape Guineas for the second time in his career on Saturday at Kenilworth as Twice Over colt Double Superlative stormed home under Anton Marcus to beat his stablemate Pomp And Power and thus give prolific Durban owner Nick Jonsson a first Cape Guineas winner.

Marcus took Double Superlative up towards the front from a tricky draw of twelve out of 16 and at the turn managed to slot in behind his long-striding pace-making stablemate Pomp And Power, who had substitute rider Craig Bantam up as S’manga Khumalo had been injured in the previous race.
Marcus was patient in the straight and crept up under the hands. However, he might well have landed himself in hot water with the Stipendiary Stewards. From the only view available from the side it looks as if he has allowed his mount to drift outward at the 400m mark and this movement looks to have carried Universal out on to the favourite Drakenstein-bred Trip Of Fortune.
Pomp and Power, whose long white socks on his forelegs and huge stride make him somewhat reminiscent of another beautiful chestnut star of the past, Beau Art, continued to bound along in front and Bantam was within reach of a glorious victory which he could not have dreamed of at the beginning of the day.
However, Double Superlative continued to make good headway and Marcus only drew the whip at the 200m mark.
The colt quickened superbly and this classy bay, who has plenty of substance, looked every inch a Grade 1 winner as he powered past Pomp And Power in the closing stages to win by 1,25 lengths.
Cosmic Highway came from near the back to just pip Zapatillas, who had sat in front of him in the running, for third, 1,25 lengths behind Pomp And Power.
Jonsson was put on the map as a big time owner by the Twice Over gelding Do It Again so it is not surprising he went back to the well. Double Superlative is out of the useful Jet Master sprint-miler Come Fly With Me and was bred by Patricia Devine Investments (Pty) Ltd. Jonsson and Patricia Devine share the common denominator of Jet Master – Nick Jonsson’s family bred the star colt and Patricia and Henry Devine purchased him as a weanling.
Snaith’s first Cape Guineas winner was with Solo Traveller in 2010.
It was Marcus’s third Cape Guineas win although it was ten years since he had last won it with the great Variety Club (Var) who went onto international Group fame.
Marina. Image: Candiese Lenferna

Marina. Image: Candiese Lenferna

The Grade 2 Peninsula Handicap over 1800m saw an easy victory for the 98 merit-rated Candice Bass-Robinson-trained four-year-old Flower Alley gelding Firealley, who carried a lightweight of 52,5kg to a 2,25 length victory under Greg Cheyne.
The Grade 3 Victress Stakes over 1800m saw a courageous win for the Bass-Robinson-trained Silvano filly Marina, a full sister to Marinaresco, under Aldo Domeyer. She fought back to beat the likely-looking winner Rain In Newmarket to win by a head.
Bass-Robinson had also won the Non Black Type Need For Speed Sprint with Pomodoro gelding Barzalona who was ridden by Anthony Andrews.
The Listed South Easter Sprint was won by the Adam Marcus-trained Vercingetorix gelding Bereave under Craig Zackey for breeders Collins Stud Farm.
At Turffontein the Listed Secretariat Stakes over 1400m saw an easy win for the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained William Longsword filly Bon Vivant under Mark Khan. William Longsword is enjoying a purple patch!
Earlier the darling of the SA turf, Summerhill Stud-bred War Of Athena showed just how tough she is. The Paul Matchett-trained Act Of War filly showed her usual fine turn of foot to win a strong Pinnacle Plate over 1600m comfortably under Muzi Yeni just two-and-a-half weeks after her hard Gr1 WSB Summer Cup fifth.
Extract Gold Circle.

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